To leave UK due to weather and cost of living

[Blossompink]

We are absolutely fed up of this constant cold, wet and dreary weather and are seriously thinking it's time to leave the UK. It's not just the weather which is making us miserable but also the cost of living is just ridiculous simply trying to keep the house warm and do simple tasks like drying clothes outside.

We are late 50's, no mortgage, have some savings, but would probably need to have an holiday let type set up to bring some money in or a small business.

AIBU to have had enough of life in the UK and want to move elsewhere?

Just to add some perspective... We've moved to UK for the better (warmer, sunnier!) weather and lower taxes 6 years ago. Still consider it to be the best decision of our lives. UK can be worse off than SOME countries, but is far better than MOST.

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You do realise that Brexit ended freedom of movement for UK citizens, not just for EU citizens? Unless you want to move to Ireland, the days when British people could just decide to retire abroad are over.

You would need to apply for visas, demonstrate how you would support yourselves, figure out how you would access healthcare etc etc. Not to mention learn to speak the language unless you wanted to live in some ghastly ‘Brits Abroad’ enclave on the Costas.

A quick Google shows a yearly regular guaranteed income of 28K euros per year required for a visa for older uk citizens for Spain. In France you need to prove you have money, pensions, investments, regular income or have a skill they want, though it doesn’t say the amount. DH has relatives that have retired to France and I have a friend who has also retired and his sister lives in Spain. But the retirees have significant pensions and his sister moved there as a very young woman and has full residency.

No language skill is a big issue it’s not like just going on holiday and ordering from a menu. DH speaks multiple languages as does his sister, I have a little French but would struggle to manage the sort of level needed for official documents where you can’t mess up.

More manageable would be to have a long break in Europe under the 90 day rule in January, February and March which is exactly what DH and I will be doing when retired.

YANBU to want to leave for those reasons - also shit government is a factor - but it has to be an ambition: knowing what you want to do, learning the language, I mean having a basic destination! It isn't a last resort because things are bad. I used to feel that a lot of Brits treated places like Spain and the South of France like that: oh well, the weather's bad here, let's go somewhere where we can't speak the language but the food is nice. No longer an option for us and I am sure they are relieved in those places!

Not very easy since Brexit. Difficult without any language skills as well.

This is pretty much my thinking too. Three months somewhere in Southern Europe, off season long term let, one bedroom would do, just to avoid the winter here. I don't want to leave my entire life behind but winters here are long and dark. I'll keep working part year for as long as I can.

I really want to do this too. We were looking into.it pre Brexit but we're scared of what would happen after we left the EU. We moved to Cornwall instead and have holiday lets in the garden. That has gone to shit recently as the holiday let market in the UK is saturated. Plus this year the weather has been SO awful, like everywhere else. I dream of Greece or Italy.

You now have to prove an income and/ or spend a certain amount on a house in most countries.

Fucking shitting Brexit.

I'm not going to rent my place out though!

I would love to but practically I'm not sure it would be possible . I definitely get the sentiment, the weather here is so depressing

Why would you be unreasonable to move if you want to move? It's your choice.

There are countries in Europe that let you stay if you invest in property. I think I Greece does? It all depends on how much money you have and the value of your property. If its of high value, you could sell and buy a property in Greece, and 2 small ones in the UK to rent for income, one could be a long term let for steady income and one a holiday let for when you want to come back (in the months the weather is nice in the UK and the heath is unbearable in Greece)

Realistically if you can't move to Europe where are you going to go? I think sometimes we have a "the grass is greener' mentality going on when actually the UK is still a pretty good place to live comparatively speaking.

Actually Portugal has an easy to apply for D2 visa. You need to be able to independently find yourself from outside Portugal, therefore set up for people drawing a pension but could be from dividends or rental income. The amount you need to prove is on £7k ish and does allow you to then work in Portugal to top up. Look up British immigrants in Portugal on Facebook. Plenty of advice on how to do it all yourself.

Where did you come from to consider it warmer and sunnier, the moon? 😳

Portugal has a special visa for foreigners (including brits) in exchange for investment (eg buying property). But of course with any kind of move abroad you would want to investigate the tax implications.

You do know that nowhere in the EU wants Brits living there and that we are not entitled to residency any longer? A number of countries are increasing charges on Brits spending time there is they have property and are withdrawing access to services. Locals are increasingly less friendly.

Hi - I have lived in aus, USA also my in laws live abroad in southern Spain and my parents have owned property in France so I’d say I’m pretty qualified to be objective about this. I’ll discount USA due to
green card and australia is pretty far for most so Ill focus on EU. I hope this helps.

Pros

• better weather
• slower pace
• good food and drink
• potentially lower cost of living
• outdoor activities

Cons

• weather - southern Spain is just ridiculously hot in summer - in winter the houses aren’t insulated so get cold. France is good shout but really you have to speak some French to live there. It would also impossible to deal with gov and locals in English. Portugal had golden visa for 500k property but I believe stopped that. Also can be expensive and kind of new build soul less. Spain is good but have you thought what you’d actually do with your time? I know my in laws friends many just drink every night as there is literally nothing to do. Plus they feel pretty lonely not seeing grandkids.
• Tax can be tricky depending on your situation - could be more or less. If you have assets how will they be taxed? Is your Uk pension going to go up with inflation ?
• Work - most beachy places are low wage and low stress type jobs - a BnB is hard work and pretty stressy
• Bureauacy - you have no idea how difficult and long this is in France and Spain - everything needs a permit and it’s not like England as you apply to local mayor often - language is huge barrier in France and also Spain
• healthcare - most EU countries are comparable or better than NHS BUT…language again - they will not speak
• yonuiu in english so you need a translator at every appointment - if you get seriously ill in any way that’s a huge problem

as people mentioned the visa sit is so diff in every country and totally depends on your circumstances how difficult -
but safe to say it takes work and research oh and money

I think two suggestions for you both less black and white:

1. hire a place for 90 days in your desired location and see how you feel - my folks did this and decided it wasn’t for them

2. if you afford it - buy a place somewhere in EU and just do winters over there and summers here. Rent out your places when you’re not there. Simples

I do hate English weather but I’m a pragmatist and had to live in Australia that I regret not doing so now I’m just content with many trips abroad every year until I’m a little older

Have you thought about a move to the south of France. It's warm, it's coastal, not sure how much cheaper than the UK is but they have nice beaches and often a nice outdoor lifestyle.
You get lots of retirees playing pétanque (lawn bowls). And it's a short flight back to the UK.

If you have the money it seems like a lovely plan. Enrol in a French class and see how you go.

Omg I've been thinking the same! It's such a massive issue in my life. I've been getting itchy feet for the past couple of years. I speak 4 languages fluently and could move quite easily, but DH can only speak English and has the type of job that can only be done in the UK. Our DD is bilingual but not actively so, so she would also struggle abroad. Grrrrrr ....

Unreasonable to who? Do what you like

@GardenGnomeDefender in my experience you’ll need way more than a couple of night classes in French - French people are great, friendly and loyaL and more laid back but they don’t naturally sync with brits TBH and it is you that will need to communicate with them in French not expect them to speak English just trying to be realistic 😀

I've been learning Spanish with the OU in the hope that we can relocate to Spain at least when we retire ...

Not Chypre!

I would be careful about moving to a warmer country now because the climate is so messed up now. Summers are becoming intolerable (I live in Australia). It is not fun only being able to go outdoors early morning or late at night and then huddling under the air conditioning the rest of the day. If you are older, heat can affect your health adversely too.

I would perhaps adopt a 6 months on, six months off approach if you are wealthy enough. Winters in Southern Europe (if you get around the difficulty with freedom of movement post Brexit) and Summer in the UK.